Submarine mine.



n. TROUBTSCH'ANINOFF.

suMAmNE- MINE.

I APPLICATION FILE APR. l5 1918.

Patented May 6, 1919. I

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

D. TROUBTSCHANINOFF.

SUBMABINE MINE. APPucATloNhLen APR. 15. 191s.

Patented May 6, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2 me Naan/s grens campana-1 Ha wAsHmcroN, n.

n. TROUBTSCHANINOFF.'

SUBMARINE MINE.

APPLICATION FILED A PR.15,I918.

Patented May 6, .1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

n. ouBTsc-HANINOFF.'

SUBMARINE MINE.

AAPPLICTION FILED P R.15|1918.`

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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Will/[lill y me :vonnis rsrsns co., wnomumu.. wAsmmzwN. n. cA

STATES f 1Q DizfrrnY TRoUB'rscI-IANINOFF, forNEw'YoRx, n.y YQ-vTollwropt t may concern QBefjit known that I, DMrrRY TROUB-rsciiiIN'orF, a citizen of Russia, and residing at 'New York, county'ofNew York, and

'State of New York,"have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSubmarine tion.;

The present'invention relates to improveof which the following is a'specificaments in sub-marine mines and has for its particular object to'provide means 'whereby it'v will vvbe impossible to dislodge or. removesuch ya mine, by cutting` the cable .connecting :it with fits, anchor,without .causing explo- Y Lsionthereof.

. .'With; the constructions heretofore employed 'vthe'mines larefrequently rendered harmless, yor at least "causedto rise to thesurlfa'cel andf there exploded without )accompli'shinglthe purpose forwhich they were .vdesigned,lby cutting the cables connecting t.

he'mme's and anchors,for by engaging such cableswithdrags or similardevices operated `fby boats sofas to dr'awthe mine to the surface.V

frhapiwherebywhenthe' mine is disconnected from by 'a .sub-marine theexplosive charge will be vliberatedr from the buoyant casing andcausedto, explode atthe depth at which the sub-marine is operating.

llVhilel the invention may be applied to mines of various forms anddiferent types ffandjthere can of course beconsiderable departure Vfromthe exact embodiments thereof hereinafter ,referred to, the accompanyingdrawings illustrate two forms.

v"Referring .to the' drawings: Figure'lfis' a vertical section through a{'contact minelhaving one embodimentjof rthe invention appliedvthereto;

3 is aview, of the same character as V rFig. l4 is an Velevation andpartial section of Specification of Letters Patent.'

nt ,'invention provides means ,its4 anchor lther4 explosive' charge willbe automatically separatedl from the buoyant` bodyl y (and exploded.More specifically 'theZinven-j 'lytinprovides means 'whereby if thecable yconnecting the' mine and anchor is severed Fig. l1, ofaportionqofthe mine, on a plane' at rightangles, to the section of Fig. l;

A,A'rENrfoirrion SUBMARIN MINE.

Fig. is a different elevation yofthe same:

structure as is shown-in Fig. 4;; y.

Fig. 6 isa diagramjof an electric circuit that1may be employed; e t

' Fig. 7 is a detail, sectional view of oneof the externall contacts;

. F ig.- 8 is asectional, detail view of a formV of hydrostaticl controldevice ythat may bel employed with the 4embodiment-of theinventionillustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. .I

In the drawings many of the parts of the mine, which maybe of anyordinary construction, are killustrated more or less dia-l explosivecharge, the casing or'holderv for which is indicated at 3. 'n f The mineis provided with a plurality of outwardly projecting contactV members 4.

The construction and operation of these contacts does not constitute apart of the present' invention but they are ,to be .of the charactercommonly employed. As shown in Fig. 7 each Contact comprises a suitablereceptacle containing' positive -and negative battery elements, 50, 51,anda frangible vessel 52 containing a liquid' adaptedl when brought intocontact with the elements 50, 51, to provide a source of electriccurrent. Thek vessel 52' is shownl as being surrounded by av deformablecovering, 53, for example of lead., When any of said members 4 is brokenan electric circuit, including a suitable primer charge 60 in the body.of explosive in the casing 3,

is completed, igniting the primer and conse-v 4 are indicated in dottedlines in Fig. 2 andv conventionally lillustrated at 5,6, (Fig. 1)

where they pass fr ornthe buoyant chamber of the body to the interiorexplosive containing chamber and in the diagram (Fig. 6). t At its upper:end the casing 3 for the explosivecharge isprovided' with upwardlyprjecting brackets 7 oneof which is engaged by the toe of a lever 8 whichvis suitably fulcrumed on a lug or lugs ydepending from Patented May 6,1919. f Application filed April 15, 19718;.r serial 228,646, f*

etA4

the removable cover plate 9 of the compartment 2; and the upper end ofthe lanchor,l cable 10., is connected to the-other 'arm of said. leverso that 'the tensionv due to the weightof" tlie anchor 10a and cable andthe tenden'cfyof" the casingy 1 to rise 'acts constantly to '-nilain-etain the lever in engagement with the bracketvk 7 and thus support theexplosive charge container within the compartment 2.

It vwill be seen Lthat if the cable 10 Ais severed, or the anchordetached therefrom thev strain on the lever 8 will 'be relaxed and asthe buoyant body rises the casing 3 containing the "explosive .chargewill escape through the lower vopen end l.of the compartment. In

order that this relative `movement ofl the b ody and explosive chargemaylnot be materiallyI hind-ered by the conductors of the vkexplosioncircuits .hereinbefore referred to lm-ife like lblade 11 may :bearranged `within the compartment 2 in position to sever said conductors,between 'the points 5 and6, as `the explosive charge and buoyant Ycasingare'disengaged.

lWithin thenpper portion Vot thel casing'f is arranged a device 12,similarto 'tlie'ex-l ternal conta-cts. 4 including a 'frangible tube orliquid container and` battery elements which are properly connected incircuit with the primer charge of they mine. A' lever 1'3 fulcrurnedwithin they casing `3 has,

one arm normally engaging la wire lll, that extends down from theaforesaid cover plate 9, and the otherarm ofsaidlever is adapted tobreak the frangible member ofthe device .12 and permit 'the liquid'contained there-` 1n .to escape and come into contact with. the.

battery elements, as said lever "1s rocked vby the downward movement ofthe casing .3.

The wire 14 extends .through a slot inthe arm of Jthe lever 13 land hasvat its lower endl an enlargement that prevents it from moving :freelythrough the slotas the casing 3.

descends relative to thecasing 1f Therefore lthe wire 1li exertsy anupwardpull on.

the lever, causing it to turn fon its pivot.V

The vslot in the vlever extends through fthe end of the arm inawhich itis formed and as the latter is rocked, the wire will escape fromengagement with the-*lever permitting the casing 3 to pass freely from.the-buoy.. ant body. Prior to placing; the mine inftlie water the4lever 13 maybe retained in inop.- f

erative position by a stop rod 13a extendingv through la suitablepassage in the .topy and into va socket in' the upper end ,of thevlever. Included in the electrical circuit;y (shown in Fig. 6) with thedevice 12 and the primer.

charge '60..are two terminals 15,16,the'b'ne 1'5,being relativelystationary and the otherfmovable 'away from and toward said sta-3tionary terminal. ANormally theterminals 15, 16, are separated `to such"an v`extent thatV the .electric circuit including the4 devicel 12 andthe primerfchar'ge 60 will not be completed to cause ignition orexplosion ofvsaid primary chargev instantly` on. the lever' 13.break-ing ythe member 12".' Means are provided whereby the terminal 116'willl be held. Ysu'tliciently far from the terminal 15 -to pre-Y`Yv'vier-1t'ignitionof thepri'mer `charge untilv the .QaSing 3 hasentirely escaped-from the'buoyxant body of the mine and reachedapproximately the depth at which the cable connecting the mine andanchorkhas" '.beem broken.

' Such 'means include va lever 17 ywhich is f fulcrumed on a stud risingfrom thenuppcr end of the casing 3,1andhasfo`ne .end .extendev ing. intoengagement with vva rod Vorfoarrier to the lower end fof which-.thetermi-nal 1,16

isconnectedpf The otherfend .ovf'said 1lyex: 17 is provided witha'rollerv 18-w`hch bears againstthe cable 10. "A spr'ingl'lf) acts com;stantly to move the terminali 16 toward the.

terminal'A 15, and: tolmaintain the roller lS in close contact with thecablelO, the pressure exerted by Isaid roller18 on'. the cable 11%.-,- i

sisted by a diametricallyoppositely arranged roller 20. The upper end of:the vterminal support is also connected .wit-hija' 16a exposed to thelpressure 4of the` wat'er.;in-

which the mine is submerged. .Ihel-dia-r V 4 .phragm 16a-is not'directlyl exp'osedgto'con;

tact' with the water "but as shown Iis clamped.

between themembersof a piston-like vhead y. 16??A that-is exposed ltosuch pressure l.and

minal, ,support `will. move the 'terminal "1'6 sufficiently close;v tothe terminal' 15 to 'complete the electricI `circuit requiredv fordeto-v n'ating the explosive charge. Therefore the explosion will occurkat adepth wlaich is ycloseV to that atl which the cable 10 has been cut,and itv the cutting Was .eltected by a sub.- `marine the latter will bewithin range of the not destroyed. f

. 'i As' hereinbefore stated Vinvention may n be readilyapplied tominesofdlilferent .types andit 4notnecessary.that theexplosive chargebe'pcontained Vwitliinlthe buoyantIl body.f

In Figs-4 and lltlierle is. illustrated, more ,125 an upper buoyantsection. 3,1 and a. lower s. explosive'.contaming .section 32.' Thejtwoo r less d-iagraxnmatically, a mine comprising sections are connected byl,project'ionsj 33; on

the lsection "327, extending through ,eyes 34; on l fthe' .upperbuoyant, section .andr by 'ya hydroico` explosion andprobably.seriouslydamaged Y staticallyrcontrolled means With such a construction if theanchor cable is broken the entiremine will rlse and when such r1s- ,ling has suliiciently'` reduced the hydro-static pressure on, theconnection 35 the latter will y, be disengaged andthe lower, explosivecontaining, sectionl 32 will swing downwardly,

aboutthe engagement [of the projection 33 '11. and eyes 34 as'an axis,until said projections Acanescape from the eyes' 34, when the twov.sectionsof the minekwill be entirely disconnected.l .Y

Infthis embodiment of the invention the frangible member of the device12a control- .j j ling, the electric circuit for detonating the fexplosivecharge is broken, during the turningfmovem'ent of the section32, by contactv withl a`. memberr62 [carried by the buoyant r section31.The means for preventing premature explosion, ordeferring such explosionuntil .the charge has reached the desired depth,lis the same Iin thisform of the invention as in that previously described.

y The anchor.` cable extends through g suitable central passage in thelower section 32 of, theLmineand-is attached at its upper end tothebuoyant section 31.

` vt 3 vTo, prevent accidental discharge of the mine.V and permit yit'tobe safely handled, it

may beequipped with any suitable means. Asshown in the form illustratedin Figs. l y to 3, a locking pin 40 projects from a casing 41 secured tothe buoyant body over the leverr 8. V At its inner end saidl pin isprovided Ev rith anenlarged head between which and.

any lend. wall of thelfcasing 41 is arranged a coiledspring that acts towithdraw the pin "fromlengagement with the lever 8. A `se-v curing pin42is normally passed through an aperture in the pin 41 vand acts toprevent movement of the latter under the effect of j j. .the springreferredto.

`1In addition to employing the pins 40, 42

'i aslaf safety means, the mine is shown as equipped with means adaptedto be renderedV 7 ineffective only.v after ithas been submerged.

The casing 41 in. rear of the piston-like head` 7 on thepin 40 is illedwith a suitable soluble substance, for example sugar,v and an inlet A' Ito the chamber containing this substance is closed .by a-readilydetachable closure 43.

`, Prior to placing the mine in the water the closure 43 is removedandthe pins 13a and 42 withdrawn. f

i -In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. .4.;and 5, thehydrostatically controlled connection between thetwo sections 31, 32

and 5 may be employed, Fig. 8 illustrates in i y detail one form of sucha device.

vReferring to this.` ligure designates a tubularmember which is shown asprovided that projects from the bodyfof the mine is secured. a hollowhead 71 which asshown'is provided with an exterior annular groove orchannel to receive the cable `that is employed to connect the two'sections of -the mine. Within the chamber in the head 71 is arranged aplatelike member 72 having oppositely directedvsleeve-,like projections71a.

71h, the` former extendinginto the tubular member 70 and beingconnectedto a firing pin support 73. The inner end of this supportnormally extends intof an opening in a disk. 70b that is screwed into`the tubular member 70.

The outer end of the chamberA inthe head` 71 is closedby aplug 71c whichhas'a centrally positioned opening over `which is ar, ranged a cap 71dlprovided; with an aperturel ythat is normallyA closed by a readilyremovable sealing stri 71e. f

A diaphragm 7) 4 is arranged over theouter face of the plate-likeymember 7 2, -its edge being confined kbetween the body ofthe headk 71and suitable washers adapted to be ad justed inward by the plugj71. Adisk or washer 74a is screwed on the projection 71b of the plate-likemember 72 and acts to retain the diaphragm in substantially the relationshown.

within the Outer fend of th Cylinder@ which supports the'ring pin isarranged a suitable cartridge 75. I i

The firing pin 76 is lsurrounded by ;a spring 7 6a' which extendsbetweenthe head of said pin and an abutment formed in the cylinder 73. A latch75b'normally engages an enlargement on the stem of the' liring` pin andextends into the openino'y inthe disk 70b so that the `spring 76a isheld? under compres-A sionv and the firing pinyin the retracted positionshown. j

Between the cylindricalmembers 70, 73, is arranged a coiled spring 77the outer end abutting the sleeve-like extension 71a ofthe plate member71 and its inner end bearin against an adjusting nut 70d portions owhich are exposed through slots formed in the member70.

When the mine is not submerged the parts are retained in the positionsshown in Fig. 8

by a block 7S of suitable material, for example, sugar, which will bedissolved when exposed to water. The tensionofthe spring 77 is -adjustedso that its expansive action will be counterbalanced by the pressure ofwater on the diaphragm whenv the mine is submerged to the desired depth.

If the mine rises, owing to thecable 10 being out, the pressure exertedby the'water on the diaphragm will be reduced and the spring 77 willwithdrawv the linner cylindrical member 72 from'the opening inthe disk 7OP.: As the latch 751 escapes from the disk it* will release the -iringpin and the latter will'be impelled forward by the'sprin-'g 76steexplodethe cartridge 75. A 'v Y Thek explosion'of the cartridge 75l willbreak the connection att35- between the'two sections ofthe mine but willnot eEect ex'- plosi'on of the mainexplosivel charge. No claim is herein'made to the novel-fea-V tures of the particular form of'hydrostaticcontrol described as they are claimed in a co# pending application, ledApril 6, 1918, S'e-l rial .Number 227 ,083.- f l 'It is thought-that theoperation and advantages of the invention vwill be apparent from the-foregoing description. It will' be seen that if theanchorl cable is cutor broken so that the lever 8 is released from the pull or strainintended to-be Iexerted by vthejan? chor thereon, o r in the-embodimentof the invention illustrated/ in-"Figs. 4 and: 5 the mine'is caused torise above va certain/level,

the firing pin 76 will be released and the cartridge 75 exploded. jI'Ihiswill blow ott the outwardly projecting'part ofthe hydro- 'staticldevice 35,` thus destroying that con-1 nection between the two parts ofthe mine and permitting the lower explosive containing section thereofto swingcvdownwardly y about the connections 33, 34"and/to move .lVthereinlias passed fromy betweenfthe con:-v '4o entirely away from 'the'upper section. Dur,-4

ing such separating movement the 4receptacle 12a'will be broken fand assoon 'as the sectionofl the cable above the 'c ut or break tactingrollers'the 'electric circuit -wi'll be completed 'and the mine 'Yexploded. y As theV upper section of the'mine will risefbut a relativelyshort distance, beforethe lower section falls suiciently to escapeffromcontact with'the cable, the' explosion lwill occur atla'depthv'vhic'hfis Iclose to*v that at which Athec'able was cut andtherefore assuming that the cutting was effected by a'submarine thelatter will not have had opportunityV to escape from the area affectedby the ex-v plosion. Suchv an attachment therefore renders itpractically impossible to destroy mine fields by the means inonlyemployed.

An important feature of theinvention is that` it'doesl not in lanyl wayinterfere with the operation-of the mine in' thel ordinary' manner. The'explosive charge will be Vdetonated by contact with any ofltheprojecting members 4 in the `ordinary manner and; .in addition saidcharge" will be set'oif vif the anchor cable is'broken.

`By vreference to the' circuits Vshown in Figs. 2 and 6 it Vwill be seenthat when any one of the contacts v4 is broken,` by being that has `beencom-y struck by avessel for example, an electric circuit willbefestablished from the battery, produced yby breakingv thefrangiblecontainer 52 in saidk'contact, through the primer charge 6'0thus yexploding the' mine in the ordinary Vmanner'. f f i .Ifv "thevycable is'A 4 out the explosivefcharge and itsicontainer willbe 7separated yfrom thel buoyant casing or sec# tion vof` `the mine andwhile the conductors of the; 'circuit Ibetween 'the contacts 4V andprimer 6are severed, another circuit willV be established including thebattery forinedby c the device 12, the primer charge 60 and the contacts15, 16the 'latteroperating to'fclose said lcircuit;k and explode ,theprimer only after the rollers, 1-8, 20 are 'below' thecut'fend'ofthecable. y I l' 1 c Having thus described theinvent-ion whatis'claimed and desiredtofbe secured'by Let' ters'Patentjis: f f f' l. Ina subemarine mine, the combination of a buoyant`,casing,fa container foran exev plosive charge'normally connected with the buoyant casing, anVanchor,` 'connections vbetweenl the anchor Land buoyant casing, andy-means whereby 1 the explosive charge and buoyant casingwillv beautomatically disexr' gaged4 andl sai'd charge detonated ifA theconnectionv between the ycasing -vand' anchor is broken. i

In a l.sub-marine mine, the'y combination ofa 'buoyantcasing acontainerfor an explosive charge normally connected with said sid casing, meanslontheycasingfor` detonating c said explosive charge, an anchor,connections between the anchor and `buoyant casing, Aand 1 mfMlSwherebygslaidexplosve charge andr buoyant casing vrmay be vautomatically dis- 4 connected and said charge detonated.

B fln a sub-marine mine, thecombi'nation of a buoyant casing,ajcontainer for an ex-fy plosive charge, an anchor, ajcable connect-vtainer inay `be 'automatically disconnected if the connection with theanchor: is broken,

and/meansfor detonating -`'the explosive iet ith

charger 'after has beendisengaged rfrom said casing.

; `5. In a Xed said casing, an anchor for `holding the mine imposition,means whereby the casing and explosive charge "container will beautomatiy sub-marine mine the combina tion' of a buoyant casing, acontainer for an explosive charge normally 'connected with,

ret

cally disconnected and the latter permitted to move downwardly from thecasing, and

,A means for detonating the charge when it is `separated froml thecasing to a certain extent.

6. In a sub-marine mine, the combina-tion lof a buoyant casing, acontainer for an explosive charge normally connected with said casing,means whereby said casing and container may be automaticallydisconnected, an electric circuit for detonating the explosive charge7and means for rendering said circuit operative when the explosive chargeY is entirely disconnected from the buoyant Y 'casing and the cablecarried thereby.

7. lIn asub-mari'ne mine, the combination y.of a buoyant casing, acontainer for an exf *plosive charge normally connected with said lrcasing, means l'whereby the casing and conv tainer may be automaticallydisconnected, an

anchor, a cable connecting the anchor and buoyant casing, an electriccircuit for detonating the explosive charge, and means controlled by theanchor cable for rendering said "circuit operative.

8. In a sub-marine mine, the combination l rof a buoyant casing, acontainer for an ex- 'of a buoyant casing, a container for an eX-plosive charge normally connected with said casing, means on the buoyantcasing adapted to eiiect detonation of the explosive charge, an anchorconnected with the casing, means whereby the buoyant casing andcontainer will be automatically disconnected when the connection betweenthe casing', and anchor is broken, a supplemental detonating devicecarried by the container, and means for automatically actuating saidsupplemental device after the casing and container are disconnected.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

DMITRY 'raourscliirmorn Copies of this patent maybe obtained for vecents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washingtoml). C.

